1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to an electrical connector. The invention more particularly concerns a device for the termination of a flat conductor of a flat cable.
2. Discussion of the Background
One of the most undesirable occurrences in the automotive industry is the recall of vehicles due to the presence of a defect or a potential defect. The recall of vehicles is undesirable since it is costly and tarnishes the reputation of the manufacturer. Many of the recall notices concern the electrical system of the recalled vehicles. It is believed that an overwhelming majority of the electrical system recall notices concern the improper or defective crimping of a box contact to stranded conductors of a cable. Typically, an improper or defective crimp involves either an over-crimping or an under-crimping of the box contact to the stranded conductors of the cable.
An over-crimped wire can cause the individual conductor strands of the wire to break and fray, thus causing the electrical circuit to eventually fail due to a short or open circuit. An under-crimped cable can lead to the oxidation and corrosion of the individual strands of the cable thus causing an open circuit since electricity does not flow from the conductors to the box contact at the location of the crimp.
Typically, many cables are grouped together in a harness assembly. Each cable is individually terminated in its respective box contact. Then the harness assembly is routed throughout the body of the vehicle. The termination of the cables is labor intensive.
In spite of the problems associated with box contacts, box contacts are a commodity item in the automotive industry and, as such, are well understood and have gained wide acceptance. In practice it is typical to have many of the box contacts inserted into an insulative housing so as to simplify the almost simultaneous connection of many electrical circuits. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a typical box contact 80. FIG. 5 is a view of FIG. 4 showing a crimp 82 of the box contact 80 to the conductors 96 of the cable 98 and a strain relief crimp 84 between the box contact 80 and the insulative layer 94 of the cable 98. To complete the electrical circuit a post is introduced into the box contact. Thus, ideally, the stranded conductors 96 make electrical contact with the box contact 80 at the crimp 82 of the box contact 80 and then the box contact 80 makes electrical contact with the post (not shown) via a conductive flexible tab 86 located in a box structure 89 of the box contact 80. The box contact 80 is so named since its box structure 89 has a first side 81, a second side 83, a third side 85, and a fourth side 87. The box structure 89 forms an aperture 88 which terminates at a rim 90. The first side 81 includes the flexible tab 86. The box structure 89 further has an interior surface 91 and an exterior surface 92.
Therefore, there is a need for a more reliable electrical harness assembly.